Charred on the outside, and oh soooo tender on the inside, my Cajun pan fried Brussels sprouts are multi-dimensional yum-deliciousness . Enveloped in the Cajun trinity and a simple yet highly complex sauce, this gluten free side dish is a gourmet-quality keeper. Yep and yay...
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This Recipe Started Tugging at My Heart Strings, Y'all...
Y'all, we are actually having a real winter down in south Louisiana. It snowed a few weeks ago, and it's been bone-chilling cold since then. Yep. So, Mark and I have been eating really hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kinds of meals lately.
We're both happy with this arrangement. But, I've been thinking that I needed to add a few more veggies into our weekly rotation to lighten things up a little around the table.
I love, love, love fresh fruits and vegetables, and am a regular at our local produce mart. But, I also keep our freezer well-stocked with frozen vegetables so we always have something green on hand to round out a meal.
Well, I've had my eye on a bag of frozen Brussels sprouts for a few days now. And, since I usually steam them, I had a hankering for a change of Brussels sprouts pace something awful. Yep.
So, after a few days of obsessing about them, I developed this Cajun pan fried Brussels sprouts recipe in my head. Then, once the thought of the rich, velvety taste, and alternating soft and crispy texture started to tug at my culinary heart strings, I ran straight into the kitchen to execute the task at hand...
Cajun Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts is a South Louisiana Side Dish Come True...
Well, I'm over the moon to report that my Cajun pan fried Brussels sprouts heart wish exceeded my expectations. Since the sprouts were frozen and thawed, they were oh soooo soft. Seasoning them with SP&C woke them up, and gave each Brussels sprout half a flavor popping chance before each one even hit the hot cast iron skillet.
The browned Cajun trinity gives the pan fried Brussels sprouts the perfect base note. And the sauce, y'all!! Hot sauce, honey, butter, and Steen's pure cane vinegar inject each bite with a flavor composition that starts off deep and earthy. And then ends with the perfect finish of tang, sweet, and heat.
These Cajun pan fried Brussels sprouts are the perfect gluten free side dish. But, to tell y'all the truth, I can't wait to make a batch for one of my late afternoon working day snacks. Share with those who love yum-delicious stacked flavor definition and texture juxtaposition. And see y'all on the yum side...
Cajun Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 12 ounces frozen Brussels sprouts thawed overnight in the refrigerator
- salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons butter or olive oil more if needed, see instructions
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- 1 large minced garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon Steen's Pure Cane Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the thawed Brussels sprouts in half. Season with SP&C. Set aside.
- Brown the Cajun trinity of onion, bell pepper, and celery in 2 tablespoons butter or oil in a cast iron skillet.
- Stir the minced garlic into the trinity. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the Brussels sprouts, halves side down in the pot. Move the browned Cajun trinity and garlic around the skillet to ensure that all the halves have direct heat to caramelize.
- Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. Pour the vinegar, Tabasco, and honey into the melt butter, and stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce over the Brussels sprouts.
- Cover, and cook without stirring until the cut Brussels sprouts side is charred to your liking, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the charred halves over to brown the other side, about 3 to 5 additional minutes. If the sprout halves on the outer edge of the skillet are not browning, move them to the middle to get the direct heat you need to finish the dish. Add more butter, if needed, if some of the sprouts start to burn while the others are still browning.
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
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Brittany says
Really loved everything about this recipe. The kick, the sweetness from the honey. Just perfect! Since making this recipe I really don’t want my Brussels sprouts any other way. If you’re wondering if you should make this....the answer is HECK YES! Thank you for this!
Lyn Corinne Liner says
You're super welcome Brittany! And thank you for making my day with your super nice compliment about my dish. I honestly don't want my Brussels sprouts any other way either. 😊